Tennis Parents FAQ

Your Child's First Tournament

QUESTION:

When should my child start playing tournaments?

ANSWER:

Above all else, you want your child's first tournament to be an enjoyable experience. No matter what age your child, his or her game should be sufficiently developed to be able to both keep a rally going with consistency and to serve without hitting too many double faults (fewer than seven or eight per match).

It's also important that you enter your child into a tournament that is appropriate to his or her stage of development. Losing 6-0 6-0 in the 1st rd while struggling to win points is a sure way to discourage your child from entering tournaments in the future.